Shackle jimmy



June 16 1931. w, ZIMMERMAN 1,810,513 I SHACKLE JIMMY Filed June 21. 1928 shackles is quite severe and, as the vehicle I Patented June16, 1931 l rEivANoEi/rAc mER '00., or GHIOAGO, ILL'InoIs, oonronnT'IoNonILmNoIs 'srrAcKLE fJIMMY V Application filed June 21,

, My invention relates toa shackle jimmy which is primarily adapted for supporting and adjusting the hinge-action spring shackles employed in thesuspension of ve-' hicle springs for inspection, repairs, replacements, lubrication, etc., of the same. My invention also hasgreat utility in numerous other instances where it is desired to support and adjust parts of the vehiclewhich are not readily accessible with ordinary tools without the disassembly of certain of thevehicle parts, 7 I I a Itiswell known thatthe load ofthevehicle frame (and theparts supported thereby) is disposed substantially-at only one point upon. the shackle bolts and that the V contacting surfaces of the shackle parts are so tightly seate'd'togetherat the s'o-called load-points that it is practically impossible to force a lubricant into the shackle bushings and'aroundthe shacklebolts and uponthe load points where lubrication is most a needed and where wear takes place to a greater extent. The load disposed upon the moves along, the shackleparts are practically always in motion. Consequently, wear tends to take place quite rapidly in the shackle structures, and this wearing condition greatly aggravated due to the" lack of. proper lubrication asabove more particularly mentioned. i

The principal bject of my invention to T providefor-tlie proper lubrication of these, j v

' thejimmy device, the engaging pawl of this shackle structures. To that end my invention provides a means which maybe: easily and quicklylas'sociated with the shackle structures for adjusting the same to free the shackle parts so that a lubricant may be free- 1y forced into the shackle bushing around the shackle-bolts to-uniformlydistribute such lubricant throughout the shackle parts, particularly at the load-wear-points, whereby th-e wear-tendency of the shackles is reduced toaminimum." I 3 These shackle structuresare' usually neglected and are not subjected to properinspection and care inmost instances due to vthe general inaccessibility of the shackle parts. This is truealso as to other of the vehicle parts and equipment;

1 3a. sew-m1 1a. 237,537.

r. HjEaMANw. ZIMMERMAN, or crrIcAGo, rLrirnois'Ass'IeN on ronncroiaorrvn Mainparts of aimotorivehic le,lsuch as the kingpin structure, which should be frequently inspected andlubricated.-:Another object of my invention is to provide a means oi the foregoing-character whichmay be placed in and adj usted in closely confined, and otherwise inaccessible, spacesfwithout disassembly of any. of thevehicle parts, such means incluclinga handle structure which maybe readily and quickly. adjusted to various po-' sitions'whereby the device. maybe conveniently and positively manipulated from any position lwithout interference from adjacent An additional object is to provide an adjusting device for carrying out the foregoing: objects. which is simple in construction,

exceedingly cheap to. manufacture, and which is exceedingly: strong and durable.

0 her objects and advantages have to do with details and arrangements of parts which will bemore' particularly pointed out as this descriptionrprogressesand whichr'will be obvious by reference to the drawings where- Figure I is a side viewi'of the forward end. of" the frame and trontspringeof a motor vehicle, having my invention, applied'there to, certain of thepartsbeing'shown broken away and other parts: being shown in section to more clearlyillustrate my invention;

FigL2-is avertical section taken substan- Fig. 3 is a ertical'section shown in Fig.3..

associated'with the shackle'structure connecting 'theforwa-rd ends of an automobile frame and front springs.- ivVith particular reference jtoFig. 1, theforward end of the-frame 10 fixedly carries arblock 111' having ayoked 'extension 12, the arms 12 of which'hingedly receive the front-end eye .13 of the front spring 13, The connectionbetween the yoke 12 and spring eyeis. accomplished in the well;

taken through I ted'lines in another position a :9 Ihave chosen to illustrate my inventionas known way by a so-called shackle structure comprising a shackle bushing 14 and shackle bolt 15.

As will be noted in Figure 1, the frame load 8 point A and, consequently, the latter point (Where lubrication is most needed). is not lubricated and wear takes place there very rapidly. As stated hereinabove, these factors are generally overlooked and the wear condition is aggravated due to lack of proper care.

My invention provides for the proper lubrication and care of the shackles and other parts of vehicles and to that end I provide What I may terma shackle jimmy. Specificially, I provide a pawl-shaped device having a cylindrically-shaped pawl-head 16 (Figs 8 and 4.) from which the pawl-tongue 17 proj ects tangentially. The pawl-head and pawltongue are of such size and length, respectively, that the device may be placed in very small spaces which are not readily accessible. The device is made of a strong and durable metal and its shape adds to its strength and its great utility.

The pawl-head 16 is not adapted for fixed engagement with the parts to be adjusted, but

finds a roll-bearing support upon one of the parts while the pawl-tongue 17 grippingly engages the other part to efiect relative spreading movements of the same. To provide for ease in adjustment of the'device the pawl-head is provided with an irregularly shaped (preferably hexagonal) axial opening 18 which'receives the short arm 19"" of a right angled handle 19 which is shaped in cross-section similarly to such' opening 18. The long arm 19 of this handle may be of any desired lengthjfor accessibility and to give the desired leverage. Thelshort arm 19" is freely insertable in the opening 18, but is held frictionally engaged therein by a spring-pressed ball 20 mounted ina suitable slot in that part of the arm'which enters the pawl-head opening. This arrangement per mits of adjustment of the handle to the pawl head in a plurality of angular positions with respect to, the pawl tongue 17, whereby the handle may always be adjusted to a position where it may be readily grasped and operated and where pressure may be more readily and efiectively applied thereto to get the desired leverage to adjust the shackle and shackled parts as will be explained more fully hereinafter. This handle may be readily adjusted to a position wherein apulling force may be applied or to a position for pushing, whichever is most convenient and desirable.

In the use of my invention in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, the pawl-head 16 is placed upon the upper leaf of front spring 18 withthe pawhtongue entendingarcuately upwardinto engagement with t'e base 12 of the yoke 12. The handle 19 is adjusted to he hea or a Pull ng action s hown). 9 t may b adiul ted ap xima ely or more in an anti-clockwise direction for a pushing action. By oscillating the handle 19 to spread the frame and spring apart and remove the weight of the frame from the shackle bolt, one may readily inspect and determine the condition of the shackle.. Also, by so usting the shackled part s, theshackle bolt may be made sufficiently free in the shackle bushing that when a lubricant is applied to the shackleit will find its way uniformly around the shackle bolt and to the point A where lubrication is most needed. As the lubricant is applied the jimmy device may be oscillated to move the shackle bolt back and forth in the bushing to aid in the foregoing lubricating action.

Practice has demonstrated that my invention is of great utility in general inspection, lubrication and repair of automobiles. it has been found to be exceedingly useful in inspecting and lubricating the king-pin structures of autoi'nobiles. In present automotive constructions the front wheels are usually supported with their lower partsinclined inwardly. This arrangement naturally imposes a condition between the king-pin and its bushing similar to that between the shackle bolt and bushingas illustrated in Figure 1. More particularly, the upper part of the kingpin is forced outwardly against its bushing 1 and the lowerpart of'such pin is forced inwardly against its bushing, with the result that a lubricant applied thereto does not find its way to the loadcontacting points just mentioned, and excessive Wear" takes place.

By my invention, regardless of the diificulty of access .to the king-pin structure and its associated. parts,.the king-pin may be freed in its bushing suiiiciently for the lubricant to pass uniformly therearound When it is ap- 1 plied thereto. 1

WVhile I have illustrated onlyrone embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes in details and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the Claims which follow. r I claim: 7 1. A device adapted for adjustinga vehicle spring shackle including a shackle bolt, and shackle bushing, and for effecting relative movements of the. shackled frame and spring posts for inspection, repair, lubrication and the like, of such parts, which includes a cylindric'al body of'such size as to be readily inserted between the shackled spring and frame parts close to the shackle with its'body seated on the spring, a pawl-like tongue extending tangentially from said body and of such shape and length as to securely interlock with the shackled parts, and a lever-handle having an adjustable connectionwith said body for effecting spreading movements of the shackled parts by rocking said body on the spring which supports it.

2. A device adaptedfor the separation *movement of two parts which comprises a cylindrical body having an irregularlyshaped axial opening therein, said body being adapted for support by one of said parts to rock thereon, a tapered arcuate-shaped extension integral with and projecting'tangentially from said body and adapted for non-slip engagement with the other of said parts, and

cuately outward from the outer surface of 7 said body, a handle non-rotatably secured'in said body opening, said handle being arranged for a connection to said body in a pluralityof different angular positions with respect to said pawl-tongue, saidbody being adapted for rolling engagement with one part-tobe adjusted and said pawl-tonguebeing adapted for pawl-like engagement with another part to be adjusted. I l

L. Ina device of the character described, a

body including an opening and a curved peripheral surface and having a hook-shaped v tongue projecting therefrom, said body being ranged to effect a rotary-rock movement of shaped to seat and rock upon one of the parts to be adjusted, and said tongue being adapted to "non-slip engage the other of the parts to be-adjusted and an'adjustable handle detachably mounted in said opening and arsaid body.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. 1 I HERMAN W. ZIMMERMAN. J 

